According to the US Treasury, its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the US State Department targeted oil brokers and operators in China, India, and the United Arab Emirates "for their role in brokering the sale and transport of Iranian petroleum-related products."
The sanctions also included the head of Iran’s National Iranian Oil Company and the Iranian Oil Terminals Company, both of which "contribute to financing Iran’s destabilizing activities," according to the US Treasury.
In addition, eight vessels have been designated as "blocked property" due to their association with the blacklisted entities.
The new sanctions follow US President Donald Trump
...Perhaps no man has ever had as much fun being president of the US...
’s restoring the maximum pressure policy against Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneouslytaking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet
militiasto extend the regime's influence. The word
Iranis a cognate form of
Aryan.The abbreviation
IRGCis the same idea as
Stürmabteilung (or SA).The term
Supreme Guideis a the modern version form of either
Duceor
Führeror maybe both. They hate
in early February, arguing that Tehran is "too close" to obtaining nuclear weapons. Trump also expressed interest in negotiating a deal with Iran.
For its part, Tehran has repeatedly denied any intentions of developing nuclear weapons, maintaining that its nuclear program is peaceful.
Monday’s sanctions additionally freeze the assets of the designated persons and entities. The US Treasury issued a warning to individuals and businesses that they cannot engage in transactions with the sanctioned entities unless authorized by OFAC.
The US Treasury Department accused the Iranian government of allocating billions of dollars worth of oil each year to gangs to supplement its annual budget allocations.
This round of sanctions marks the second such move since Trump reinstated the maximum pressure policy. Earlier this month, the US targeted individuals and tankers involved in shipping Iranian crude oil to China, which the Treasury Department said was done on behalf of Iran's Armed Forces General Staff. The sanctions also affected entities and individuals in China, India, and the UAE.